


Future Problems And How To Solve Them

by NotAHero



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: (I love that this is an actual tag!), Age Difference, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe, Emotional Baggage, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Happy Ending, First Kiss, First Time, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mild Sexual Content, Mildly Dubious Consent, Mutual Pining, Older Man/Younger Man, Protective Peter Parker, Protective Tony Stark, Rough Sex, Sort Of, Time Travel, Tony Has Issues, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-29
Updated: 2018-06-10
Packaged: 2019-05-09 22:33:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 2
Words: 11,771
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14724845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NotAHero/pseuds/NotAHero
Summary: Tony Stark was in trouble. Not the 'somehow I've landed like 15 years in the future trouble' - he could deal with that.No, it was rather the 'my very secret cause morally very questionable feelings for the young Spiderman have become rather not so immoral anymore cause he's a lot older right now'.Trouble, deep deep trouble.





	1. Tony

**Author's Note:**

> This is NOT underage!  
> Peter is 28, Tony is around 50. Still tagging as 'underage' to be on the safe side.  
> Still: Don't like, don't read. Don't come yelling at me for writing them as a couple! It's tagged properly so if this isn't your cup of tea, LEAVE NOW!  
> I needed something to soothe the pain that Infinity War inflicted, and stumbled into the Starker corner of the fandom. And damn, I like it. So here I am, writing them for the very first time. Please be kind.

Tony Stark was in trouble. Not the 'somehow I've landed like 15 years in the future’ trouble - he could deal with that.

No, it was rather the 'my very secret and morally very questionable feelings for the young Spiderman have become rather not so immoral anymore because he's a lot older right now' trouble.  

Deep deep trouble.

Tony's been here, in April of 2035 for about two weeks. He had settled surprisingly quickly; he had his nanotech with him, and even though he hadn‘t managed to connect to this time‘s Friday, he was good on his own. That was how he had started, he could do without most of his tech.

This time‘s Tony was out of town and so he had just settled into the small apartment he had kept - his secret hideout if you will. He had bought it way back when he moved upstate - just in case he had to stay in the city. Either for Iron Man business, or just to get away from all the fuss and bureaucracy the Avengers Initiative had become over the years.

And apparently his alter Ego had kept it: the bills were being paid, and since they were the same, the biometrics that secured the apartment had let him in without any trouble. No AI, only the most basic tech - which in his case was still more than the average person would have in their homes. Still, it took him a few days to settle into a simple life he hadn't lived in a long time.

He quickly realized that he had to keep a low profile in this time. He had been around Strange and the Time Stone long enough to know that messing with time could cause terrible problems. He still wanted to contact Strange, because he was the only one Tony could think of who was able to help him, and preferably send him back to his own time.

Then he ran into Peter Parker, and all his good intentions flew out the window.

Miraculously the kid hadn't recognized him as he hurried past him one morning. Tony barely recognized him, only his mumbled “Sorry, man, so sorry,“ as he pushed past him, made Tony look up and after him. And as sad as it was, it was the retreating back and the lean, strong muscles beneath the fabric of worn jeans, that made him realized who had just brushed past him.

Later he wouldn't be able to tell why exactly he had followed him, or how the kid didn't notice that he had been followed. Tony had kept his distance, using his modified glasses to keep up with him.

His destination had been Columbia University, and he had vanished inside the large main building. Tony had been confused and a tiny bit disappointed - the kid was the brightest and smartest mind he‘d known, he could've gone to any college he‘d wanted to, they all would've taken him in a heartbeat.

Sitting down a good way from the entry, Tony had pulled up the internet and did some research. 15 minutes later, he exhaled and took off his glasses.

The kid - Peter, Tony corrected himself, he was 28 by now, and definitely NOT a kid anymore - was TEACHING there. He had graduated high school a year early, and had gotten several scholarships to basically every university he applied to. But he had gone to the one closest to home which still got him the best education. He also finished early, two years ahead of his class, summa cum laude, and instantly went back to teach math and physics.

Tony couldn‘t help the feeling of pride filling his chest. The kid had done so well.

Despite him being able to chose any college he’d wanted, he was staying close to home. His aunt was here, his friends. Another quick search confirmed that, yes, he had a life here and, being the loyal kid he was, of course he hadn't gone anywhere else. Probably had given up Spiderman‘ing due to all that - Tony had found astonishingly little on him in his search.

Tony remembered his own troubles back in college; how tough it had been for him trying to keep up with the insane amount of schoolwork AND still have a social life. Although his social life had usually won and looking back, he was pretty sure his father‘s money - and generous donations during his time at MIT- had helped him getting through more than his actual work.

The kid was a lot more mature than Tony had ever been. Even in Tony‘s time, at only 15, he had been more of an adult than Tony had been in most of his forty odd years.

That had been one of the reasons Tony had kept his distance from the kid. He hadn't acted like a teenager. His mind was sharp and could easily keep up with Tony‘s intellect. He was stronger than Tony; he had to work hard to defeat the kid even with his armor. He had been an equal to him, which was why it had been so damn hard to keep his hands off of him. He hadn't been a child to Tony, had stopped being one after fighting alongside the Avengers to save the world. Yet he had been one, before the world, and what had been more important, before the law.

Tony had spent countless nights looking up every single one of them, and even with both eyes closed, the age difference between them had been too much. Nothing would've made it right, even though Peter‘s personality had been that of a young man rather than an actual child.

The older Peter's gotten, the worse it had become for Tony. And just before the kid turned 17, Tony had to put an end to it. Where others his age went to parties and discovered their sexuality, Peter had immersed himself deeper and deeper in his work - Tony had cursed the moment of weakness when he had invited him to work in the labs instead of his tiny and cramped bedroom.

He had developed new features for his own and also for Tony's suit. Tony would never admit it, but the kid had done things he had never thought about. And where Tony had often spent hours, trying to find a solution, the kid had come up with them while doing his homework, just like that. Tony had told himself that the kid’s potential had to be honed, but the longer they had spent time together, the worse it had gotten.

And Tony's guard had crumbled more and more; he had let slip things, had used every opportunity to touch the kid casually. His dreams had been plagued with erotic encounters with the boy, and he'd always woken sweat-drenched and in a panic. That had been worse than the regular nightmares; he knew how to deal with those.

What had made matters even more terrifying was the expression on the kid’s face; sometimes Tony wondered whether that was still hero-worshipping or something else. He usually slammed those thoughts instantly, and always left if Peter cast him one of these looks through long lashes.

So he had slowly withdrawn, haunted by the sad confusion in the kid's face whenever Tony had Happy decline him access to the lab, or come up with a flimsy excuse to not work together.

The worst had been when Tony, with a heavy heart, had wiped the kid's biometrics from the servers so he wasn't able to stroll around the compound as freely as he liked to.

It had worked; even the kid’s loyalty to Tony couldn't handle being rejected like that. He had stayed away, at first only a day or two. Later he didn't even come anymore, just texted Happy if he was needed. And one day he just stopped.

It had been hell for Tony, and he had drowned his pain in work. Pepper eventually had enough and had left him for good - they still were business partners which worked out only because they mostly communicated through their AI‘s.

Of course he had kept an eye on the kid, had watched him from a distance, which felt like the perfect punishment.  But he couldn't stop, he just wanted to make sure the boy was safe, even though he knew perfectly well that the kid could handle himself just fine.

At first Peter has spent every minute he wasn’t in school out there, chasing bad guys; Tony could feel the pent-up anger even from the distance. He almost felt sorry for every cat burglar and petty thief Peter got his hands on.

But with the threat of having Iron Man, Doctor Strange and Spiderman in the city, crimes had let up immensely, so there wasn't that much to do for him.

So he had gone out less, had spent most of his time pouring over his books, working harder than ever before; every now and then he would go out with friends, but his main focus had been his education.

~

Tony sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. Now he was a man out of his own time, and he was still stalking the kid. Instead of seeing Strange and doing everything to return to his own time, he spent his days sitting on a bench opposite the college, waiting for the few minutes a day he could see Peter come in in the morning and leave in the afternoon.

What a pathetic excuse of a human being he was.  

The sound of laughter tore Tony out of his miserable thoughts, and he looked over to the courtyard where a group of people was leaving the building. He spotted Peter right away, as he walked down the stairs, surrounded by students, all talking over each other. Peter laughed again, and Tony‘s stomach flip-flopped - even over the distance he could see he hadn't lost his lighthearted smile, could almost see the crinkles around his bright eyes. His laugh was easy even as he shook his head over and over again, walking towards the street.  

Tony tapped the side of his glasses and Peter‘s voice filled his earpiece.

“Come on guys, it‘s the weekend, give me a break,” he said, smile still very audible in his voice. “We can discuss this all on Tuesday. Don‘t you have things to do? Parties to go to, something like that?”

Tony heard arguing but Peter seemed adamant, eventually stopping the discussions as he reached the sidewalk proper.

“I‘ll see you guys next week. Off you go.“ He made a shooing gesture, and the students finally let up. There was a chorus of voices, calling goodbyes to one another before everyone went their separate ways.

Peter sighed, smile still tugging at the corner of his mouth. He shouldered his backpack, exhaling deeply before he crossed the street. He seemed deep in thought, barely paying attention to his surroundings, and Tony indulged himself in letting his eyes wander over him.

He wasn‘t dressed like a teacher, rather like one of his students, in jeans and sneakers, and the backpack looked like it had seen better days. Peter had grown but not as much as Tony would've expected. He was still rather lean, almost skinny, trying to hide it with an oversized t-shirt. His hair had grown as well, curling around his face messily as if he‘d run his hands through it repeatedly. A pair of glasses was dangling from the pocket of his jeans, and Tony knew instantly that was just a decoy. Probably to make himself look more like a normal human.

Tony idly wondered if he used his Spidersenses to bust his students but dismissed the thought almost instantly. He was too honest for that.

“Who are you, and why do you keep following me?“

Tony jumped at the low voice right next to his ear. A hand closed around his shoulder, a warning; Tony could feel the strength in his fingers.

He swallowed hard, feeling out of his depth. But before he could say anything, he heard a gasp and the hand on his shoulder fell away.

“Mr. Stark? Is that really you? How...? What...?“ Peter suddenly sounded like his 15-year-old self, and Tony felt himself gripping at the edge of the bench he was sitting on. His world came crashing down on him, and he had no idea what to do.

“Hello Mr. Parker,“ he croaked helplessly, a shadow of his usual overconfident self. He didn't dare look at the kid but he sensed him staring at him. The silence was deafening, and he could feel those clever eyes scanning over him.

“Wait, you‘re not - ,well yes, you are but not really. What - something isn‘t right.“ Peter was muttering to himself, and then the boy was in front of him, those beautiful brown eyes sharp and searching.

“You should be older,“ Peter said, eyes flicking over Tony‘s face, brows narrowed, “and yet you look like back when -“ his voice trailed off and he stepped back in disbelief, flopping onto the grass.

“What are you?“ Peter asked, shoulders tensing, and Tony could almost smell the adrenaline coursing through the kid‘s body.

“Not what,“ Tony said, more on instinct, “when.“ 

“Huh?“ Confusion was filling Peter‘s eyes.

“When,“ Tony repeated, taking a deep breath. “I'm from 2020. It‘s a long, complicated story“

Peter snorted unamused.

“Isn't it always with you?“ he murmured, more to himself than for Tony to hear. Tony was shocked at the bitterness in his tone.

He wasn't thinking clearly when he asked:

“What the hell is that supposed to mean?“

Peter glared at him, warm brown eyes turning cold.

“Nothing, really,“ he quipped, lips pressed into a thin line.

"Shit, no, you clearly have issues with me, so spit it out, kid.“

Tony wasn't prepared for the sudden hardness that flickered over Peter‘s face.

"I‘m not a KID anymore,“ he hissed, effortlessly jumping to his feet. Tony absently admired the flexibility and the smoothness of his motion. But then the boy‘s face was only inches from his own, and the full force of his hatred made his stomach drop.

"But then again, you don‘t care, do you? Or you wouldn't have vanished on me, wouldn't have left me like you did.“

Tony was even more shocked to see tears shimmering in his eyes. Peter huffed angrily before turning away.

"Fuck you,“ Peter muttered under his breath as he stalked away from Tony, leaving him staring after him. Motionless he watched Peter turn the street corner before he managed to get on his feet and run after him.

"Ki-, Peter, wait,“ he called and surprisingly the boy did, arms crossed and still as cold as ice. But he waited for Tony to catch up with him.

"What do you mean‚ leave you‘?“ Tony asked, only a tiny bit out of breath, "I didn‘t -“

"Yes, you did,“ Peter spat. "You went on a mission, didn't even ask for help. And then you never came back.“ Unshed tears were dangling on the kid‘s lashes and Tony had to summon all his strength to not wipe them away.

"I thought you were dead,“ Peter‘s voice was small, and Tony wanted nothing more than to hug him tightly. "Eventually Happy told me that you were in fact still alive but too busy to see me.“ He shrugged, rubbing his arms as if he was cold. "Even I can take a hint, eventually.“ The sadness in Peter's voice was worse than the cold hate from before.

"Peter, I -“ Tony started, sighing deeply. "Listen, can we go somewhere and talk? I think I owe you an explanation.“

Peter looked at him, head tilted to the side, lots of emotions flickering over his expressive face.

"Fine,“ he said with a sigh, "not today though. I have work to do.“

Tony nodded, relief washing over him.

"Where -?“

Peter interrupted him.

"Tomorrow, 10 am, the cafe around the corner from your old place. Don‘t be late.“

And without another word he left Tony standing in the middle of the sidewalk, briskly walking away.

~

Tony was nervous. He had arrived early to secure them one of the secluded booths in the back of the cafe, and he had paid a generous tip to make sure they wouldn't be interrupted.

Sipping his coffee, he kept staring at the door, trying to keep his carefully prepared speech in order.

"Morning.“

Tony jumped a bit as Peter slipped into the seat opposite him; he hadn't seen him come in. Peter smirked a little.

"Just because I don‘t go fighting crime anymore, doesn't mean I‘m can't use my skills every now and then,“ he said, gesturing towards the waitress.

Moments later she brought over a large coffee and a plate with donuts.

"Good morning, honey. How are you today?“ she asked, smiling brightly at him.

"Been better, thanks, Stacey. How‘s your mom?“

Tony watched silently as the two chatted for a few moments before she left again, gently petting Peter‘s shoulder. Tony squashed the flash of hot jealousy that motion caused in him.

Peter‘s soft smile dissolved as he looked at Tony, his face suddenly unreadable.

And it finally hit Tony. No matter how long he had observed him from afar, in his mind Peter had still been a kid, the young boy he had recklessly recruited way back, because he had been in desperate need of help.

That boy was long gone, replaced by the young, secure man in front of him, patiently waiting for Tony to explain himself. He had become an adult, handsome in his own right, average enough to blend in but Tony knew he had never been average. He was extraordinary. Brave and fearless, ready to take on the world if needed.

"God, you've grown so much,“ Tony spluttered, feeling the tips of his ears redden at the platitude.

Peter raised an eyebrow at him but didn‘t say anything.

"Sorry, I‘m still getting used to you being all grown up now,“ Tony babbled.

"How long have you been following me?“ Peter interrupted coolly, taking a sip of his coffee.

"A few days,“ Tony admitted, not wanting to lie to him.

"Why?“

Tony shrugged.

"You bumped into me on the street but you didn‘t notice me. I recognized your voice, and I got curious,“ Tony said slowly. "Was on my way to see Strange, hoping he could help me with this out-of-my-time problem. But -“ he stopped, biting his lip. He never made it to Strange - there were too many possibilities here. With Peter. He shook his head, trying to get rid of those thoughts.

"What did he say?“ Peter asked.

"Hm? Oh, Strange? He, uh, he wasn‘t home,“ Tony said. By the look on Peter‘s face he didn‘t believe him.

He let his eyes wander over Tony, who tried desperately not to blush.

"Tony, what happened?“ Peter asked eventually, voice quiet.

Tony shivered involuntarily - he had never called him that before, it had always been ‘Mr. Stark‘. It did something odd to his heart.

He also had the strange notion that he did NOT mean him being here, out of his own time. They had seen gods, monsters from different planets, far away galaxies no human had been to before. Time travel was the least of their problems right now.

He deflected anyway, just in case.

"Well, I don‘t really know. Woke up two weeks ago here, was hoping the good doctor could shed some light on it. Help...“ he trailed off, leaving the ‘send me back‘ unsaid. Because right now that was the last thing he wanted.

Peter smiled sadly, shaking his head.

"Not what I meant, and you know it.  Why did you cut me out?“

He sounded so sad, so lonely, that Tony couldn‘t help but reach out and cover his hand on the table with his own.

Peter inhaled sharply, his eyes flickering down to their hands before finding Tony‘s eyes.

He could see the pain, the heartbreak, the loss in those big brown eyes. He opened his mouth but Peter shook his head.

"You were my world, Tony, my absolutely everything. I looked up to you, I worshipped you. You were my hero. You saved me from myself, made me a better person. I know I was young, probably too young to know for sure but after you were gone, I realized why I wanted to spend every single moment with you. And it wasn‘t because you made me a cool new suit or taught me how to be a proper superhero. After all that time together, I thought...” he trailed off, his expression turning blank. “I always had the feeling there could’ve been more between us. With time. But apparently I was wrong. You didn’t care for me at all.“

Tony, too shocked for words, only shook his head.

Peter nodded, as if having a suspicion confirmed.

"No, of course not. Why would you care about a stupid kid.“ The last was whispered into the space between them. He sighed deeply, pulling his hand away from Tony‘s. It was instinct that made him clasp around Peter's fingers, holding on as if his life depended on it. Maybe it did.

"I cared,“ Tony rasped, trying to sort his racing mind. "I still do. Always have. Way more than I should've.“ He cleared his throat, clinging to Peter‘s motionless hand in his. "I've cared too much, Peter. In all the wrong ways, for all the wrong reasons. You are right, there could've been more. But it wasn't possible, not then. You were a child, a minor, it would've been illegal.“

"I didn't care.“ Peter hissed, struggling to keep his voice down.

"I did,“ Tony admitted, sighing deeply. "I had to. For the both of us.“

"Did you know?“ Peter asked after a long silence, avoiding Tony‘s gaze.

"Know what?“ He had a pretty good idea.

"What I feel for you.“

Tony shook his head instantly; not missing the wording and its present tense.

"I had no idea. Which I‘m grateful for. It would‘ve made letting you go even harder.“

Peter nodded, absently biting his lip, thinking so obviously it made Tony smile despite everything.

"So that's what that was - letting me go?“ Peter mused after a while.

"Not because I wanted to. I had to keep my distance. For your own good,“ Tony added, "and for mine. It was the only way.“

Peter was watching him closely, eyes narrowed, gaze sharp. Tony shifted uncomfortably; he had the feeling he was being dissected.

But for the first time ever, he didn’t fight it. He was too tired, years of trying to keep up appearances had worn him out. He let his guards down, let the kid see whatever he hoped to find in the lines on his face.

It seemed to work: Peter's shoulders relaxed, and his posture softened, only a little, but Tony took it as a good sign. The anger from yesterday dissipated slowly, and Tony tried an apologetic smile.

Peter sighed. "You could've contacted me, could've let me know that you‘re okay. Back there," he waved a hand towards the window, indicating the past, "but more importantly, here. You knew that I'm old enough now. And instead of stalking me, you could've, well..." He stopped, glancing up at Tony through long lashes, looking so innocent and yet so calculating at the same time, that Tony was lost for words. He could only stare at Peter, whose lips twitched before he broke into a shy smile.

"What? Did I actually manage to render the great Iron Man speechless?“ he asked.

Tony inhaled deeply, pulling himself together..

"In my defense, I've been ripped from my own time, dropped into the future without warning, all by myself, without tech and without any clue how to get back. Guess that warrants speechlessness.“ He quirked a grin.

"Well, you're _not_ alone. You have me,“ Peter murmured. Slowly, as if not to spook him, he turned his hand, still trapped in Tony's, gently caressing Tony‘s wrist with his fingertips. "You always have me.“ His eyes found Tony‘s, and there was so much hope in them, it made Tony‘s heart stutter.

Peter‘s eyes narrowed, and he stroked his fingers over Tony‘s skin again, slowly and deliberately. Tony‘s pulse quickened, and he clenched his teeth to keep the sigh inside. Peter gasped softly, repeating the motion, and this time Tony couldn‘t help the little moan that escaped. It felt heavenly. He had been dreaming about this for too long to not allow himself at least this small moment.

"Tony,“ Peter whispered lowly, the sound chasing a heavy shudder through Tony‘s body.

Nevertheless he shook his head, trying to extract his hand but Peter didn‘t let go.

"I‘m almost 29 now,“ he said.

"I‘m somewhat around 60 in your time,“ Tony said but he felt his defenses crumble.

"But you‘re not from my time. How old were you when you disappeared?“ Peter asked sternly.

"48,“ Tony replied, knowing when he was beaten.

Peter‘s smile lit up his face in the most beautiful way, and Tony closed his eyes for a second because it was too much to endure. When he opened them again, Peter was sitting next to him; he hadn't heard him move.

Peter looked at him, brown eyes too bright for his pale face. Not breaking eye contact, he slowly laid a trembling hand on Tony‘s cheek. Tony helplessly leaned into the touch; he‘d spent too many years holed up in his lab, had stayed away from people because the only one he wanted was off limits. And now he was sitting next to him, silently promising all the things Tony had dreamed about for so long.

"Peter,“ Tony tried, more out of habit than anything else, but Peter shook his head.

"No. I‘ve been wanting this for too long. I‘ve tried to forget you, tried with other people, but nobody ever had a chance. I‘m done waiting.“

With that he leaned in, gently covering Tony‘s lips with his. His moan as their mouths met, was something Tony would never forget. It was that of a lifelong desire, repressed for too long, and it ripped open every single one of Tony‘s own yearnings. He wrapped his arms around Peter, pulled him close and kissed him with the pent up longing of half a lifetime.

Peter instantly matched his desperate kisses, clinging to him so hard, Tony knew it would leave bruises. It didn't matter. All that mattered was the man in his arms, the soft skin of his neck beneath Tony‘s fingers, cradling him, holding him as close as humanly possible.

Peter groaned quietly against Tony‘s mouth, his kisses surprisingly skilled, and Tony couldn't suppress the growl that broke free, which was equal pleasure and jealousy as to how Peter had learned how to kiss like this.

He pulled back at Peter chuckled gently.

"I wanted to be prepared in case it ever came to this,“ Peter said, the blush on his face so lovely, that Tony pulled him into a hard kiss once more, not even questioning how he knew what he was thinking.

"Your blood pressure surged,“ Peter muttered between nibs on his lower lip,“and your pulse started racing even more. I‘m sure most of that is because of me, but you also smelled angry for a moment.“

Tony pulled back again, staring at Peter with wide eyes.

"What?“ he asked breathlessly.

Peter blushed even deeper, rubbing a hand over his neck.

"My senses have grown over the years. One of the reasons I stopped doing what I did. It had become too much at times,“ he explained, his other hand absently running through Tony‘s hair. "The more I used them, the more they developed. There were days I couldn‘t leave the house without the suit. It was the only thing that kept me from going into sensory overload.“

He sat back in his seat, taking a few deep breaths. Yet he still kept touching Tony, sliding his fingers over his arm, over and over as if soothing a wild animal.

Tony realized that was not for his own benefit, it was for Peter‘s. He kept himself grounded through the touch.

"Sorry,“ Peter said, breathing harshly through his nose. "Just need a minute.“

Tony nodded, catching Peter‘s hand with his own and entwined their fingers.

"Take your time,“ he murmured, using the moment to reign himself back in.

To his surprise he noticed that he was sporting an erection, and he shifted in his seat. Usually he needed a lot more than just a few fairly innocent kisses to get this hard. It was aching, and he subtly dropped a hand to press against it.

Peter had closed his eyes but now they snapped open and instantly locked onto Tony‘s hand over the bulge in his jeans.

Tony froze; the last thing he wanted was to scare him off. Peter swallowed audibly and as he looked up, his eyes were huge and dark and Tony‘s jeans got even tighter.

"Maybe...“ Peter started, voice breaking, and he took a deep breath before trying again. "Maybe we should leave.“

Despite his body yelling _YES_ at Tony, he leaned back, bringing some distance between them, looking the young man over. Peter was trembling, all his muscles tense and quivering under his skin, and as Tony reached out to run a finger over his thigh, Peter‘s groan was almost enough to have Tony come undone right  on the spot.

"Geez, kiddo,“ he grumbled, immediately pulling back, bringing as much space as possible between them. Sweat was trickling down his back, and his erection throbbed painfully.

Peter shot him a glare, and Tony had to bite back a groan at the barely controlled wildness in his eyes.

"Stop calling me that. It‘s not helping,“ Peter said through gritted teeth.

"Maybe we should really leave. Separately,“ Tony suggested but the fiery glance that those words got him, had him backtrack immediately.

"I have an apartment not far from here,“ he said quickly, "we could meet there. I could get some, uhm, supplies on my way there.“

"You‘re just as resourceful as ever,“ Peter quipped, despite the pained expression on his face.

Tony laughed, he couldn‘t help it.

"God, I‘ve missed you,“ he blurted out. Before he could regret his outburst, Peter was kissing him again, his desperation all too obvious.

Tony indulged for a moment, too happy to finally feel him in his arms, against his mouth, being well and truly his.

A loud cough made them jump apart; the waitress was eyeing them over the back of their seats.

Peter grinned sheepishly at her.

"We‘re leaving, don‘t worry,“ he said, standing up and throwing a few dollar bills on the table before Tony could even offer to pay.

They left together, carefully not touching as they walked out onto the street.

"Address?“ Peter asked hoarsely.

"Hm?“ Tony stared at him, distracted by the way the sun was reflecting on his messy curls.

Peter smiled at him, warm and open.

"Your apartment, I need the address.“

"Oh.“ Tony told him and before he knew it, Peter was dropping a kiss on his lips, brief but hard.

"Hurry,“ he muttered in his ear before he took off, diving into the next dark alley. Tony waited and as expected, seconds later, he saw the almost invisible string of webbing shoot towards the nearest roof.

Grinning, he started walking, stuffing his hands in his pockets. There was a pharmacy just around the corner from his hideout, he would get everything they needed there.

~

The sun was setting, the beams filtering through the half closed curtains casting the slender body next to him in a golden light. Tony was dozing; he couldn't bring himself to actually go to sleep properly.

He didn't want to miss one second of the sleeping man; watching him snore softly, hair a complete mess, fading bruises on his neck and shoulders, lips red and a bit swollen, the faint rash from Tony‘s beard almost vanished from his cheeks. Tony wanted to commit everything to memory, wanted to burn it into his brain for the rest of time.

Slowly he reached back, his hand scrambling over the nightstand until he found his glasses. Carefully he put them on, and took a few pictures, saving them in a secure and hidden folder on his private server.

"That would be really really creepy if I didn‘t know those picture were in the safest place there is.“

Tony felt the embarrassment wash over him as sleepy brown eyes blinked open.

"You weren’t supposed to notice,“ he muttered, dropping the glasses back on the nightstand.

Peter giggled. “I notice everything. I’m Spiderman.“

Tony laughed as Peter rolled them over, pinning him to the soft mattress, kissing him deeply.  When they parted again, they were both a bit out of breath. Tony ran his hands over his back, relishing the play of muscles under his touch.

"You‘re insatiable,“ Tony said, still amazed that he could do this without the biting guilt he usually felt when thinking about Peter. Now he was in his bed, naked apart from the small bracelet around his wrist that kept his senses in check.

Tony had been impressed as he showed it to him earlier, panting, pressed against the wall.

"Designed it myself,“ he had said, voice rough around the edges because Tony had started to undress him. "Keeps the input on a normal level so I can actually leave the house without becoming a screaming mess.“

"What if I took it off of you?“ Tony had murmured against his neck, a bit dizzy with Peter‘s scent.

"This would‘ve been over the second you kissed me,“ Peter groaned, arching against Tony.

"I‘d have loved to see that,“ he replied, dragging his nails over Peter‘s back, reveling in the noises he made.

"No, you wouldn‘t. It would be embarrassing, and messy,“ he bit down on Tony‘s shoulder, almost drawing blood, “and loud.“

Tony had stopped moving, only his heavy breathing filling the pregnant silence between them.

"Excuse me for a second.“ He‘d let go of Peter, and had stumbled over to the display by the door, shaking fingers tapping a few buttons. There had been some mechanical clicks, and Peter had raised an eyebrow at him.

"Just increased the soundproofing in the bedroom,“ Tony had said.

Peter had grinned and stretched slowly, putting himself on such display that Tony‘s head spun. "Who said we‘d make it to the bedroom?“

~

They had made it - barely. That had been hours ago. Tony felt drained, every single muscle in his body was aching pleasantly, but despite the warm exhaustion dragging on him, he wasn‘t able to let go enough to sleep.

"What‘s your big brain thinking about?“ Peter murmured against his neck, plastering soft kisses over his skin.

"Besides the fact that you‘re probably going to kill me with your sex drive?“

Peter chuckled happily, grinding slowly against Tony, drawing a low moan from him.

"Besides that, yes.“

Tony gripped his hips and stilled him; Peter let him, he sensed that there was something on Tony‘s mind.

"What are we going to do now?“ Tony asked, feeling so much out of his depth out of a sudden that he couldn‘t meet Peter‘s curious eyes.

"Well, I don‘t have to go back to work until Tuesday,“ he replied cheekily.

"Peter,“ Tony scolded but couldn't help the warmth spreading through his limbs at the idea of spending all these hours in bed with him.

"Tony,“ Peter purred but then he pushed himself up, gazing at him.

"Have you tried to talk to yourself in this time?“ he asked.

"He, well, I, am out of town. Apparently for a while already, according to the internet.“

Peter flopped next to him, humming thoughtfully.

"Yeah, you, him, whatever, hasn't been seen in quite some time. He has suits patrolling the city though. Keeps most criminals at bay.“

"Clever,“ Tony nodded, "would've done the same.“

"Maybe seeing Strange wouldn't be the worst idea. I know, you and he don‘t get along too well, but if anyone can help you, it‘s him.“

"Yeah, probably. Thing is though,“ he glanced at Peter, "I don‘t really want to leave. You, that is. Not again. Not after...“ he waved a hand around the room.

Peter caught it, resting it against his chest.

"I know, I don‘t want you to leave either. But we have to find out what happened. Your time needs you too.“

Tony sighed, pulling Peter into his arms.

"But I don‘t need it. What do I have over there? You‘re too young, even if you wanted me.“

"I did,“ Peter added softly, "I have wanted you for a long time“

Tony opened his mouth to object but Peter kissed him quickly.

"I know, it‘s not an option. We would have to keep it a secret until I was legal and even then, the age difference is too great that people would ever accept us.“

Tony shook his head, smiling despite himself.

"When did _you_ become the grown-up in this relationship?“

Peter snorted, snuggling against Tony‘s side.

"I‘ve always have been more grown up than you, Tony.“

It was a statement that had Tony thinking for a long time. Peter fell asleep against his side again, one arm wrapped possessively around Tony‘s waist.


	2. Peter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is unbeta'd (my Beta is busy and will still look it over) so if you find any glaring mistakes, let me know.

Peter slowly drifted back into consciousness. He loved this. More often than not he had been wide awake from one second to the next, fully aware of his surroundings. He had always hated it. Ever since he'd gotten his powers, he hadn't been able to sleep properly, the smallest noises had woken him: a cough two blocks away, sirens by the river, rats in the basement. With time he'd gotten used to it, could tune it out but he had never felt really rested. 

The bracelet had been Ned's idea, and Peter was so proud of him. He had never thought of making something that could've dulled his senses like that. At first he had been skeptical but once they tweaked it enough for him to still be alerted to anything unusual in a 5 block radius, he loved it. Loved that it helped him to sleep peacefully, and wake slowly, not knowing where he was for a moment. 

He blinked, an unfamiliar scent in his nose. When the memories came back, he smiled. Stretching luxuriously he reached over to the other side of the bed. As he only met cool sheets, he rolled over, sleepily gazing at the empty side of the huge bed. 

He wasn't surprised to wake alone even though he had hoped differently. 

A small device sat in the middle of the nightstand, a red light winking at him.  Huffing a laugh, he moved over and grabbed it. 

That unfamiliar scent was much stronger on this side of the bed, and he buried his face in the pillow, inhaling deeply. Snuggling back under the covers, he turned the device over until he found the small button.  
He pressed it. A pixelated hologram appeared above it, and Tony's low voice filled the room. 

'Morning sleepyhead. Didn't want to wake you, you looked so peaceful.' Peter snorted, but as he noticed the soft blush even through the bad quality of the hologram, he immediately regretted it. 

Tony was so different from the man he used to know. It's been years since he'd last seen him, and back then he had been cool and absent. Peter had worried about him, the dark shadows under his eyes, the constant pinch between his brows, his manic behavior. Now he knew why, but back then it had hurt a lot, not being able to ease his pain.

Brushing those thoughts away -those days were behind them- he concentrated back on Tony's message. 

'Went to see Strange, to see what he knows. Make yourself at home. Fridge is stocked, spare clothes are in the closet. Might bring back breakfast. Laters.' He winked, and Peter felt the still unfamiliar warmth wash over him. Even through a crappy hologram, he could feel the affection of the older man for him. 

He put the device back on the nightstand, curling up under the covers. Tony's scent surrounded him, and he drifted back off to sleep. 

~

When he woke again, it was a lot more abruptly. He stayed still, eyes closed, using his other senses, trying to figure out what woke him; usually it was because something bad was happening. But then he relaxed as he heard someone rummage around the room; he heard the sound of cutlery, the crinkle of paper bags; he could also smell coffee. 

Carefully he blinked, and the room came into focus. Tony was quietly laying the small table by the window, so absorbed in his task, that he didn‘t notice Peter turning in bed to watch him. 

Tony‘s movements were smooth and efficient, no energy wasted. The old jeans and the threadbare t-shirt clung to his body and did nothing to hide the muscles moving beneath his skin. Maybe it was because Peter‘s senses were always more heightened in the morning, but he could almost feel the soft fabric against his fingertips, tracing over his shoulders, maybe even making Tony shiver a bit at the touch. 

He had dreamed about moments like this for most of his life. Watching Tony doing all those ordinary tasks made Peter‘s heart beat a bit faster. He had watched him assemble the most complicated mechanics, had seen him rip them apart just as quickly when they didn't work. But seeing him put together a breakfast for the both of them tugged on his heartstrings. There was something in the domesticity, the  _ normalcy  _ of it that was too much for him, and a small noise slipped past his lips. 

Tony looked up, and the smile on his face as he saw Peter awake, took Peter‘s breath away. 

„Morning. Some crime fighter you are, I could’ve robbed you blind while you were sleeping,“ Tony smirked, setting down the mug in his hand. 

Peter swallowed around the sudden tightness in his throat and threw off the covers. 

„Come here,“ he croaked, not caring that it sounded more like a demand than a plea. 

"Bossy Spider," Tony mumbled, but he complied. He sat on the edge of the bed, and then he made a surprised sound as Peter pulled him down and rolled them over, effectively pinning him to the bed. 

Peter knew he wasn‘t heavy but he also knew he was ten times stronger than Tony. And Tony knew that too. He struggled for a moment but stilled the second Peter let out a growl. 

„Kinky,“ Tony muttered, relaxing into the grip around his wrists. 

Peter smiled as he slowly rested his entire weight on Tony. 

„Says the man who wanted to take this off me,“ Peter said, nodding towards the bracelet around his wrist. 

„Yeah, about that-“ 

„Nope, not happening,“ Peter interrupted, increasing the pressure of his body against Tony‘s. „Not for a while at least.“ 

Tony groaned, and Peter could feel his growing erection against his own. Staring down at Tony, he almost felt drunk at the sight of him. Spread out beneath him, breathing heavily, brown eyes wide and trusting, the shirt stretching tightly around his raised arms. Hazy sunlight fell into the room, and for the first time Peter noticed the gray strands in Tony‘s dark hair. 

Settling more comfortably on his legs, he let go of Tony‘s wrists - who just kept them were he had pressed them into the pillows - and slowly ran his hands through Tony‘s hair. It was coarse and curled a bit around Peter‘s fingers. Tony sighed contently and pushed into Peter‘s touch. 

„I like the gray,“ Peter murmured, fascinated by Tony‘s eager response. 

„Good. At least one of us does,“ Tony replied dryly, shifting underneath Peter, making them both sigh. 

„It suits you,“ Peter said, wandering fingers starting to caress Tony‘s face, „as do these.“ He meant the lines around Tony‘s eyes; they spoke of much sorrow but also laughter, and they deepened as Tony smirked at him. 

„If you wanna make me feel old, you‘re on a damn good way,  _ kid _ ,“ he said. 

Peter shook his head, huffing and sliding a thumb over Tony‘s lower lip. 

“I haven‘t seen you in 10 fucking years. The least you can do is stay still and let me look, damnit.“ 

“Language,“ Tony grumbled, but fell silent again as he saw the expression on Peter‘s face. 

“You have changed, Tony, and yet I can still see the man I fell in love with all those years ago,“ Peter whispered, holding up a hand as Tony opened his mouth. “I know, you probably don‘t wanna hear it. I doubt you‘re doing too well in that department. You‘re Tony fucking Stark, you don‘t do love. And yet, here we are. So let me say it once, and then we don‘t have to mention it ever again.“ 

Peter leaned down, cradling Tony‘s face, looking him deep in the eyes. 

“I love you, Tony Stark. I have loved you for a long time and probably will for the rest of my life. I tried to tell myself it was just a fling, just the infatuation of a kid for his mentor. But trust me, even after you were gone, I couldn't forget you. Believe me, I tried. And I failed miserably.  You, sir, are a thief. Because you stole my fucking heart and you never gave it back. And you know what? I don‘t want it back. It‘s yours for the rest of my life. I can only hope you handle it gently.“ 

The last he whispered against Tony‘s lips, their noses touching. Tony growled, and the sound was that of a pained animal. He wrapped his arms around Peter and kissed him. Hard; it was just this side of painful but it was exactly what Peter needed. 

He hadn't meant to say all this, it just burst free. Ten years of longing, of yearning after Tony had taken its toll on him. The realization of him in his bed, his arms, for a short while well and truly his, had hit him unprepared. He had spent most of his adult life trying to forget him. He never managed. And even though he had been mad at him at times, he had never stopped thinking about him. Seeing him yesterday had opened old, half forgotten wounds. Spending the night by his side, and now being kissed with the fervor and the longing he himself felt, was too much to bear. 

He clung to Tony, trying to match the ferocity of his kisses, soft moans filling his head.  When they parted, Tony‘s eyes were bright, his fingers digging deep into Peter‘s shoulders. He opened his mouth but no words came out.  But Peter didn't need words; he could suddenly see behind the mask, could see right into Tony Stark‘s heart. 

And he saw it all: the heartache, the worry, the terrible guilt. Peter had always hoped that Tony could one day feel only half of what he felt for him. Now he could see that it was just as much. Maybe even more. It was tinged with sorrow and pain but it was just as powerful as Peter‘s. And it had been there for a very long time. 

He gasped, his eyes burning, his throat tightening. Tony kissed him again, a lot more gentle than before, but Peter knew he was holding back. As they broke apart, their cheeks were wet. 

„Peter,“ Tony said, voice broken and husky, and suddenly Peter couldn't bear the sadness in his tone, didn't need to hear him say things they both already knew. 

„No, please,“ he said, his own voice foreign in his ears, „don‘t say anything.“ He fell silent before he added so quietly Tony had to lean up a bit. „Show me.“ 

He let all his muscles relax, giving up control, giving himself over to Tony. 

„Take what you need. Don‘t-, don‘t be gentle,“ Peter whispered over the loud thumping of his racing heart. 

He knew he couldn‘t take it if Tony was all sweet and careful with him right now. 

And Tony wasn't. Tony understood perfectly. Understood that they both had been through too much to be considerate. Understood that -right now - they needed to assure each other that their suffering hadn't been for nothing. 

Tony sat up, pushed Peter off him and onto the mattress, a dangerous glint in his dark eyes. Peter met his gaze without fear. 

With a dark growl, Tony kissed him, finally letting go of every restraint he had put on himself over the years. He dug his hands into Peter's hair, holding him as close as possible. It felt as if Tony wanted to make up for all the lost time. 

Things became a bit hazy after that. And yet Peter remembered everything in every glorious detail. 

There were scratches over arched backs, deep and burning. 

There were hard bites on warm flesh, almost drawing blood. 

There were grunted orders and harsh groans, low and so alive. 

There were almost violent pushes and pulls, leaving bruises on sweaty skin. 

There were desperate whines and barked demands, all to eagerly obeyed. 

Each man was taking what he needed, knowing that the other was more than willing to give. 

They pushed each other to their breaking point, not thinking at all about the consequences. 

When they climaxed, it was with the other one‘s name on their lips. 

They collapsed into the sheets, gasping for breath. They didn't touch, needed the space to calm down. 

Peter was staring unseeingly at the ceiling, all his senses for once shut down. He barely heard Tony move, and startled as a hesitant hand brushed the messy hair out of his face. 

„I do love you, Peter Parker,“ Tony murmured hoarsely into Peter‘s ear, his warm breath making Peter shiver. He didn't move; the only way possible for him to acknowledge Tony‘s confession was a soft smile lingering on his lips. 

It was enough. He felt Tony‘s sharp exhale against his skin; he settled back into bed, his fingers brushing over Peter‘s side before falling away again. 

~

It took over an hour until they were finally able to move again. Peter rolled onto his side. Tony was dozing but the movement made him open his eyes. 

„Hi.“ The expression on Tony‘s face could only be described as serene. It was the most beautiful thing Peter had ever seen. 

„Hey,“ he croaked and fell silent again. It took him another five minutes to realize that he didn‘t have anything else to say. The silence between them wasn‘t uncomfortable, and so he didn‘t even try to fill it. 

Tony‘s eyes were slowly wandering over his face, and Peter had never felt so adored. No, appreciated was the word. Looking back, Tony had always seen him as the kid; even though he had been stronger and just as clever as Tony, he had never looked at him with the respect or the understanding he could now read on his face. 

„The coffee‘s probably cold by now,“ Tony said into the silence. 

It was so out of place that Peter started to laugh. Tony watched him with an amused expression until Peter pulled him into a clumsy kiss. He returned it, still smiling. 

„I need a shower,“ Peter muttered between kisses. 

„Do that,“ Tony replied, gentle hands running over Peter‘s back, „I‘ll make fresh coffee.“ 

Nodding, Peter crawled out of bed, feeling wrung out and deeply satisfied. 

~

When he came back out, Tony was changing the sheets on the bed. Peter heard the coffee maker splutter in the kitchen. He leaned against the doorway, just watching. Once Tony finished, he turned towards Peter, flashing him a smile. But apparently there was something else on his face because Tony frowned a bit. 

„You okay?“ he asked, throwing the last pillow on the bed.

Peter shrugged helplessly. 

„Do we need to talk about this?“ he asked, waving a hand towards the bed. He didn‘t feel sorry for it. It had been something they both had needed but now he could see the dark outlines of the bruises he had left on Tony‘s skin, and he worried. His own were already healing - he felt the usual tickling all over his body. 

Tony straightened his back, shaking his head. 

„No,“ he said firmly, „there is nothing to talk about.“ He narrowed his eyes, following Peter's gaze which was glued to an almost black bruise on his chest. Understanding washed over his face.  Stepping closer, he touched a finger to a vanishing bruise on Peter‘s neck. 

„I wished they would stay longer,“ he murmured, leaning in and sucking on it once more. It stung and Peter instinctively clung to Tony‘s arms. He must've done that before because Tony winced but didn't back away. 

„I‘m glad mine will stay a bit longer,“ he said as he let go, searching Peter‘s eyes. „I wished they would stay forever,“ he added, „and remind me of this for the rest of time.“ 

Peter nodded weakly. „Yeah, me too.“ 

A weight he hadn't known was there, fell from his shoulders. He should've known, that Tony would understand. Would know why Peter was worried. 

"We needed this," Tony said quietly, "and I regret nothing, okay?" 

Tony sounded so sure that even if he had regrets - which he hadn't - Peter accepted it. 

Tony hummed contently and kissed Peter lightly; with one last look he walked towards the bathroom, Peter watched him go, nonetheless cringing as he saw the long scratches on his back, littering his smooth skin. 

In the door, Tony cast a look over his shoulder, catching his eyes. 

„Don‘t. I've earned them,“ he muttered before he vanished inside, not bothering to close the door. 

Peter huffed a sigh and shook his head as he wandered into the kitchen to get the coffee. Leave it to Tony to take away his worries and assure him that they would be okay. 

But then again, the past two hours had proven that. Only the two of them could have had a go at the other like they just had and come out stronger after. A therapist would've probably had a field day with them. Peter snorted at that thought. There was no need for one though. No matter what happened from now on, they would face it. Together. 

Pouring himself a cup of coffee, he sat at the table, listening to Tony‘s toneless humming from the bathroom, letting his thoughts wander. 

„Hey, Earth to Parker, care to return?“ Tony‘s voice pulled him back, and he looked up. 

„Oh fuck,“ he muttered at the sight in front of him. 

Tony smirked knowingly, running a hand through his wet hair. His skin was still damp, and the small towel around his waist did little to cover him. Peter watched a few droplets slowly run down Tony‘s hip and got soaked up in the towel. Tony‘s grin widened as he sauntered over to the closet and carefully picked out some sweatpants and a t-shirt. Without turning around he dropped the towel, putting everything on. 

Peter just stared, mesmerized by the display, his throat dry, his hands curled into fists. 

„You‘re an evil man,“ he said eventually as Tony pulled the shirt over his head. 

„Says the one sitting naked at my table,“ Tony shot back, and Peter involuntarily looked down at himself. 

He, too, had worn a towel as he came out of the shower, intending to get dressed but then had genuinely forgotten about it. The towel had opened and so he was indeed naked, not even realizing it. 

He snickered. „Whoops.“ He gathered the towel around himself. 

Tony snorted, adjusting himself in his pants. Peter‘s eyes were instantly glued to it, and he licked his lips.  

„None of that,“ Tony grunted, flopping in his chair, ignoring Peter‘s whine. „I‘m starving. I‘m also old so you gotta wait until I've recovered a bit.“ He winked at Peter who pouted at him. Tony shook his head in mock exasperation and poured himself some coffee. 

They ate in silence, hands brushing when they handed over sugar or jam. The room was filled with hazy sunlight, warming the room, the silence between them heavy and comfortable. 

After Peter was finished eating, he leaned back, eyes once again drawn to Tony. Peter was still adjusting to seeing him like this, and he intended on committing every little detail to memory. 

Tony’s hair was drying into a riot of curls and waves, silver strands catching the light when he moved. His usually neatly trimmed beard was losing its shape, and Peter was itching to give him a shave. 

He filed that thought away for later. 

His gaze traveled over naked shoulders and toned arms towards his hands. There he stopped, frowning. Tony‘s left hand was trembling; it was probably unnoticeable to normal people, but Peter could see the tremors running through it as clear as day. Every now and then Tony grit his teeth and the tremors stopped for a moment before returning. 

Without thinking he reached out, wanting to stop it. He curled his fingers around Tony‘s, who squeezed them. 

„Nothing to worry about, kiddo,“ he said softly, voice too calm. „Part of the package.“ He avoided Peter‘s eyes.

Peter knew immediately what he was talking about. 

„You have nightmares,“ he said. It wasn‘t really a question but Tony nodded sharply. 

„Panic attacks too, sometimes.“ 

Peter could see that it was difficult for him to admit that. 

„Me too.“ He had never told anyone; hadn’t even confessed it to Tony if he didn't see that he needed to hear that. 

Tony then met his eyes, a hardness in them that made Peter's heart ache. He stood, and without letting go of Tony‘s hand, he made him move so he could settle in his lap. Tony‘s eyes widened. 

„If you ever wanna talk about it,“ Peter said quietly, placing small kisses over Tony's face, „I‘m here for you.“ He knew that Tony probably needed time to take him up on his offer. He was willing to wait for it. It had taken himself five years to come to terms with his own issues. Being Spiderman had taken its toll on his psyche, and Tony had done the job for much longer than he‘d done. 

„I‘m here,“ he repeated, „whenever you‘re ready.“ 

Tony wrapped his arms around him and pulled him closer, holding him tightly. His breathing was erratic, and Peter could feel the tremors running through him. He caressed Tony's back, hoping to silently assure him that everything was going to be okay. They stayed like that for a long time; Peter could hear the traffic outside, faint yet constant. It mixed with the sound of Tony's pulse, quick but steady. Eventually Tony took a deep breath and kissed Peter‘s neck.

„This day went very differently from what I've imagined when I got up this morning,“ he muttered dryly as he leaned back to look Peter in the eyes. 

He laughed, burying his hands in Tony‘s hair. 

„Still surprising you, old man?“ he teased, knowing they both needed the laugh. 

Tony immediately caught on. 

"If I had known you'd be such a cheeky adult, I wouldn't have come," he grinned widely. He grabbed Peter's ass, hoisting him up and stood. Peter giggled helplessly, the feeling of Tony‘s hands on him still made him incredibly giddy.

He tried to come up with a witty response but Tony had dropped him unceremoniously on the bed, his weight heavy and warm on top of him. 

„I‘ll show you ‚old man‘, kid,“ Tony muttered as he tugged at the towel around Peter‘s waist. He was all too happy to push every other thought out of his head as Tony started to kiss his way up his thigh. 

They had all the time in the world now. 

~

"So, what did the good doctor tell you?" Peter asked a lot later, lazily running his fingertips over Tony's stomach. 

Tony yawned, shrugging haphazardly. 

"The usual mumbo jumbo. Something about switching places with my older self. One doesn't understand him at the best of times, and I did not have a good time at all when I had to go and see him." 

Peter snorted, pushing himself up on an elbow. 

"Tony. Did you annoy him again?" 

Tony smirked. 

"Don't I always?" 

Peter chuckled. 

"That you do." 

He dropped a kiss on Tony's nose; his heart fluttered at the adorable expression on his face. 

"No, seriously, what did he say? Is there anything you can do? Anything you  _ should  _ do?" Peter asked, ignoring the cold knot forming in his stomach. 

He didn't want him to leave, ever again. And he was prepared to do absolutely anything to keep him here, in his time, in his bed. There was no way he could let him go and survive it. He knew one couldn't actually die from a broken heart, and yet he wasn't too keen to prove that wrong. He had spent too much time without him already, he would fight Time itself if it came to that. 

Tony sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. 

"Well, after I sorted his mystical babbling, it basically boiled down to some sort of Time accident. Not caused by him, he was very specific about that. He had seen it, he said. But he couldn't interfere." 

Peter frowned at him. Tony sounded too casual, too nonplussed about it all. 

"That's it?" he asked, carefully observing Tony's face. 

Tony looked at him; the low sunlight hitting his eyes and making them shine amber. 

"He said, he could reverse it if I wanted that." 

The cold knot in Peter's stomach tightened. Even though he was pretty sure about Tony's feelings for him, this was not Peter's decision to make. Tony still had a life back in his time, he had obligations. And for all the world not seeing it -or not wanting to see it- Tony never took those things lightly. He knew how important he was, how needed.  For the Avengers, for New York, for the world. Even though Earth had quite the number of heroes to defend it, Tony had always seen it as _his_ responsibility to make sure it stayed just that one bit safer. It was his main goal in life; and no matter how egoistic, egocentric or maniac he came across to most people, the only thing that really mattered to Tony Stark was to protect the one planet they had and its people.  Peter also knew with absolutely certainty, that all these things Tony had done in the past were the least egoistic things the man was capable of. Yes, he was sarcastic most of the time, cynical even, but Peter had very quickly realized that it was only to protect himself, protect his immensely vulnerable heart. He had lost so much throughout his life - Peter could relate - and yet he had always given everything he could without losing himself. Through the years he had opened up, had let a few people into that soft heart of his, had fought for them like a lion.  
Sometimes people seemed to forget that Tony Stark was only human. He was no God, no Supersoldier, he had no powers. He was just a human with a knack for mechanics, the funds to work with and the deeply seated desire to help. 

Peter exhaled deeply, fighting back angry tears.  Sometimes he wasn't sure whether the world actually deserved Tony. 

"Do you want to?" he asked, voice breaking at those words. 

Tony snorted loudly. 

"Of course not. Why would I want that? I have nothing back there." 

"What about Pepper? Rhodey? What about the Avengers?" Peter hated himself for bringing all this up. 

"What about them?" Tony asked, dark eyes scanning quickly over Peter, widening as he saw the expression on his face. He pulled Peter in his arms and kissed him, deeply and slowly, drawing it out until they both couldn't breathe anymore. 

"They will do just fine without me. Much better, probably." There was a hint of bitterness in his tone. "Plus, according to Strange, my older self is there, so they probably won't even miss me." 

He leaned back so he could meet his eyes. And once again Peter was overwhelmed by the sincerity and the tenderness he could see. 

"Why would I screw up the one chance I’ve been given? This is the best thing that ever happened to me. I told you, there is nothing for me back there. You're too young, and no matter what might have happened, I will not take advantage of your innocent self." 

Peter huffed, slightly annoyed. 

"I'm not innocent, I-" 

Tony smirked, shushing him with a finger to his lips. 

"You are still a kid over there. My morals are bad enough as they are. I've been called some bad things in my life, and I could even live with being called a pervert or pedophile. But I would never do that to you. You deserve so much better." 

The softness on his tone made Peter's stomach clench. 

"And," Tony continued, gently pushing a hand into Peter's hair, "without all that-" he waved a hand at the past, "who knows who you would've become. Look at you, you're a teacher for fuck's sake. Doing good for the community, being a hero to your students. I've heard them talk about you. They look up to you, they want to be like you." He fell silent, lips twitching. "They want to be better." A small smile broke free. 

Peter instantly got transported back to that dreadful day on a rooftop, Tony's harsh words still ringing in his ears. That had been the worst day in his life. Being scolded by the one man he was looking up to.  
But all he heard in Tony's words now was that he was actually inspiring people, working hard to become better than him. And for all the pain that sentence had caused him in the past, now it filled him with warmth and pride. 

Tony watched him closely, seeing the exact moment when he understood. 

"Be that person, Peter," he murmured, "be better than me. And help make others even better than you. Help _me_ become the best person I can be. For you. And maybe one day, this world will be a better place to live in." 

A silent tear escaped Peter; Tony kissed it away before sealing his lips over Peter's. They kept kissing for a long time, losing themselves in the other one completely. 

When Peter pulled back, Tony's eyes were shining suspiciously and he blinked a few times. 

Peter's heart felt as if it wanted to burst. He collected himself though. 

"That's some deep shit pillow talk," he quipped in a wavering voice. 

"I blame that damn wizard," Tony shot back, grinning happily at him. 

Peter chuckled weakly before he asked: 

"So, you can just stay here without consequences for the-" he waved a hand wildly around the room, "greater good or something? Just like you belong here?" 

Tony nodded. 

"That's how I understood it, yes. He might have also said that I could just take up the mantle of my older self here. No more tiny apartments then. I," he stopped, swallowed hard, " _ we _ could move back upstate." That last sentence lingered in the air, and it took Peter a moment to understand the implications. 

"Fuck yes," he groaned before diving into another breathtaking kiss. "I'd love to move in with you," he murmured against Tony's lips. 

"Good. Would be a waste of space otherwise." He winked at Peter, who could see the relief in the lines of his face. 

Then a thought hit him. 

"But what happens when you-" he pointed at Tony's chest, "-reach the age you vanished? Will you disappear back into your old time then? And why didn't your future self leave a message for your younger self-" 

Tony groaned, pressing his hands against his eyes. 

"Kid, don't. My head hurts already, this time travel shit is hard enough to stomach without trying to understand the mechanics. Just accept it, okay? The wizard said it'll be fine, and for once I'm too tired to argue with his mystical ass. Right now, I'd love to take you to dinner. I'm starving. Again." He smirked. "And I'm pretty sure,  _ you  _ need some food as well." 

As if on cue, Peter's stomach growled loudly. They laughed. 

"Come on, Mr Parker, let's have dinner. Everything else we can sort out tomorrow." 

Peter nodded and rolled out of bed. He walked towards the bathroom, stopping in the doorway. Looking over his shoulder, he raised an eyebrow. 

"Care to join me for a shower first, Mr Stark?" he asked cheekily. 

Tony groaned amused, rolling out of bed as well. 

"You know, I always liked the way you say my name," he remarked as he walked over to him, wrapping his arms around him. 

Peter squirmed in his arms, pressing as much of his body against him as possible. 

"I know." 

He pinched Tony's ass, and quickly hurried into the bathroom. Tony stared after him, once again speechless. Then he shrugged, and followed him. 

Their laughter echoed around the room for a long time. 

 

~~~

 

Inside the New York Sanctum, Doctor Stephen Strange closed the Eye of Agamotto, smiling softly to himself. 

"You look like a cat that just learned how to use a tin opener," Wong remarked as he walked into the room. 

Strange's smile widened as he turned around, shrugging. 

"Just helped an old friend to some much deserved happiness, is all. No biggie." 

Wong frowned. 

"What did you do? No, wait, I don't wanna know. Just tell me, does it affect-" 

"You know I wouldn't allow that," Strange interrupted. "I've triple checked all possibilities, and made sure that life can go on as intended. Just a little less painful as before." 

Wong shook his head, sighing. 

"You're getting soft, Stephen." 

Strange smiled. 

"Nothing wrong with a bit of softness in such a harsh world, my friend. And these two deserve it. After everything they've been through-" he trailed off, lost in thought for a moment. "They deserve it," he repeated. "And I will keep an eye on them. Precaution and all that." 

Wong only huffed. "If you say so."

Strange watched him leave, the soft smile returning to his face. 

"All the best, you two," he murmured into the empty room before he walked out as well, the Cloak trailing after him. 

  
  



End file.
